Static sprayer including protective cover

Abstract

A static sprayer includes a housing mountable in a vertical position, a diverter fixed to the housing for diverting the water from a vertically-extending passageway within the housing laterally through the water discharge outlet at the upper end of the housing, and a cover mounted for vertical movement at the upper end of the housing towards and away from the diverter to cover and uncover the water discharge outlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A static sprayer, comprising: a housing mountable in a vertical position and including a water inlet at the lower end of the housing, a water discharge outlet at the upper end of the housing, a vertically-extending passageway within the housing connecting the water inlet to the water discharge outlet, and a static diverter fixed to the housing for receiving the water from the vertically-extending passageway and for diverting the water laterally through the water discharge outlet and laterally of the housing said diverter defining said discharge outlet in a fixed annular configuration; characterized in that said static sprayer further comprises: a cover mounted at the upper end of the housing over said diverter and movable vertically through a linear path towards and away from said diverter to cover and uncover said water discharge outlet; and a constraining device permitting the cover to move away from the water discharge outlet a limited amount when water is discharged therefrom, and permitting the cover to move by gravity towards said water discharge outlet to cover it when water is not discharged therefrom to thereby inhibit the entry of insects or other foreign objects into the sprayer. 
     
     
       2. The static sprayer according to claim 1, wherein said water discharge outlet extends peripherally around the sprayer housing to discharge the water in the form of an annular spray around the housing, and said cover includes an outer section adapted to cover said annular water discharge outlet. 
     
     
       3. The static sprayer according to claim 2, wherein said outer section of the cover is of conical configuration. 
     
     
       4. The static sprayer according to claim 1, wherein said constraining device includes a pin having a shank secured vertically to the upper end of said diverter and an enlarged head at the upper end of said pin; said cover having a central hole larger than the shank of said pin but smaller than said enlarged head. 
     
     
       5. The static sprayer according to claim 4, wherein said central hole in the cover is significantly larger than the shank of the pin such as to vent the interior of the cover to the atmosphere and thereby to permit water trapped between the underface of the cover and the water discharge outlet to drain through the sprayer. 
     
     
       6. The static sprayer according to claim 1, wherein said diverter is a deflector having an undersurface of conical configuration to deflect the water outletted from said vertically-extending passageway laterally through said water discharge outlet. 
     
     
       7. The static sprayer according to claim 1, wherein said constraining device includes an open cage secured to the upper end of said diverter and enclosing said cover. 
     
     
       8. The static sprayer according to claim 7, wherein said cover is formed with a plurality of holes to vent the interior of the cover to the atmosphere, and thereby to permit water trapped between the underface of the cover and the water discharge outlet to drain through the sprayer. 
     
     
       9. The sprayer according to claim 7, wherein said diverter includes a cylindrical wall defining a vortex chamber; the upper end of said cylindrical wall being formed with a plurality of slots extending substantially tangentially to said vortex chamber to define said water discharge outlet; said cage being secured to the upper end of said cylindrical wall. 
     
     
       10. A static sprayer, comprising: a housing mountable in a vertical position and including a water inlet at the lower end of the housing, a water discharge outlet at the upper end of the housing, and a vertically-extending passageway within the housing connecting the water inlet to the water discharge outlet;   a deflector fixed to the housing and having an undersurface of convex conical configuration to deflect the water outletted from said vertically-extending passageway laterally through said water discharge outlet and laterally of said housing;   a cover mounted at the upper end of the housing over said deflector and movable vertically through a linear path towards and away from said deflector to cover and uncover said water discharge outlet;   and a constraining device permitting the cover to move away from the water discharge outlet a limited amount when water is discharged therefrom, and permitting the cover to move by gravity towards said water discharge outlet to cover it when water is not discharged therefrom to thereby inhibit the entry of insects or other foreign objects into the sprayer.   
     
     
       11. The static sprayer according to claim 10, wherein said water discharge outlet is of annular configuration and extends peripherally around the sprayer housing to discharge the water in the form of an annular spray around the housing, and said cover includes an outer section adapted to cover said annular water discharge outlet. 
     
     
       12. The static sprayer according to claim 11, wherein said outer section of the cover is of conical configuration. 
     
     
       13. The static sprayer according to claim 10, wherein said constraining device includes a pin having a shank secured vertically to the upper end of said deflector and an enlarged head at the upper end of said pin; said cover having a central hole larger than the shank of said pin but smaller than said enlarged head. 
     
     
       14. The static sprayer according to claim 13, wherein said central hole in the cover is significantly larger than the shank of the pin such as to vent the interior of the cover to the atmosphere and thereby to permit water trapped between the underface of the cover and the water discharge outlet to drain through the sprayer. 
     
     
       15. A static sprayer, comprising: a housing mountable in a vertical position and including a water inlet at the lower end of the housing, a water discharge outlet of fixed annular configuration at the upper end of the housing, and a vertically-extending passageway within the housing connecting the water inlet to the water discharge outlet;   a vortex chamber fixed to the housing for receiving the water from the vertically-extending passageway and for diverting the water laterally through said annular water discharge outlet at the upper end of the housing and laterally of said housing;   a cover mounted at the upper end of the housing over said vortex chamber and movable linearly towards and away from said vortex chamber to cover and uncover said water discharge outlet;   and a constraining device permitting the cover to move away from the water discharge outlet a limited amount when water is discharged therefrom, and permitting the cover to move by gravity towards said water discharge outlet to cover it when water is not discharged therefrom to thereby inhibit the entry of insects or other foreign objects into the sprayer.   
     
     
       16. The static sprayer according to claim 15, wherein said cover includes an outer section of conical configuration adapted to cover said annular water discharge outlet. 
     
     
       17. The static sprayer according to claim 15, wherein said cover is formed with a plurality of holes to vent the interior of the cover to the atmosphere, and thereby to permit water trapped between the underface of the cover and the water discharge outlet to drain through the sprayer. 
     
     
       18. The static sprayer according to claim 15, wherein said constraining device includes an open cage secured to the upper end of said vortex chamber and enclosing said cover. 
     
     
       19. The sprayer according to claim 18, wherein said vortex chamber includes a cylindrical wall formed at its upper end with a plurality of slots extending substantially tangentially to said cylindrical wall to define said annular water discharge outlet; said cage being secured to the upper end of said cylindrical wall.